Oil and gas sector says new data shows it can both hike output and lower emissions

CALGARY — Canada’s oil and gas sector is pointing to new government numbers that it says proves the industry can increase production and lower emissions at the same time.

The analysis by industry group Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) of the most recently available federal production and emissions data shows emissions from the country’s conventional oil and natural gas sector fell 24 percent in the last decade.

For natural gas, methane emissions fell by 38 per cent between 2012 and 2021 although production rose by 35 per cent.

Conventional production refers to all oil and natural gas production outside of Canada’s oilsands.

The CAPP analysis did not examine oilsands emissions, but a report by S&P Global earlier this month showed absolute greenhouse gas emissions from Canadian oilsands production were flat in 2022 even as total production grew.

S&P Global said that marks the first year total emissions from the oilsands sector did not rise, excluding any major market disruption resulting in a decline in production.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 31, 2023.